DNFed at 15%, the male character’s voice drove me crazy. I had to stop listening to the audiobook because of it. Really tried to push through and couldn’t get over it.

3.5⭐️s. I had this book in both audio and print and enjoyed both formats. The narrators were both great! This was a slow burn enemies-to-lovers “road trip” on the water. I loved both of the characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher- I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

All Else Sails is a gem of a clean romance and a refreshing take on the sports romance genre. From the very first chapter, I was hooked—school nurse Josie thinks she’s heading off on a sibling vacation, only to be greeted instead by her brother’s best friend, Wyatt, an injured professional hockey player who’s spiraling during the off-season. He’s grumpy, living in a rundown cabin left to him by his late uncle, and in desperate need of someone to help him get back on his feet. Josie reluctantly agrees to stay for the summer to help him recover, with her brother offering to pay her for the favor.

This setup had all the right ingredients for a story I love—forced proximity, sailing adventures, a broody male lead with a golden-retriever heart, and my personal favorite trope: grumpy/sunshine with a “he falls first” twist. Wyatt has been quietly pining for Josie for years, while she’s convinced he can’t stand her and wants nothing to do with athletes. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their banter added just the right amount of charm to carry the story.

While I enjoyed the book overall, I’d recommend reading this one in print or on an e-reader rather than listening to the audio. The male narrator didn’t work for me and ended up pulling me out of the story more than drawing me in. I also found myself wishing the book had just one narrator—it might have made the experience feel more cohesive.

My main critique (and the reason for the 4-star rating instead of 5) is the imbalance in the dual POV. Josie had three to four times as many chapters as Wyatt, which made his inner world feel underdeveloped in comparison. I either wanted more balance or a full commitment to a single POV. As it stood, it left some gaps in understanding his perspective.

That said, All Else Sails is the perfect read for Hallmark movie lovers and fans of sweet romance with more heart than heat. It’s a charming summer story that feels like a warm breeze and a good escape.

This book completely stole my heart! From start to finish, it was such a cozy, feel-good romance that left me smiling.

Josie and Wyatt were beyond adorable. I loved watching their relationship unfold slowly and naturally—their chemistry and that simmering tension between them had me hooked from the beginning. It was one of those romances where you're just cheering for them the whole way through.

If I had one tiny wish, it’d be to have just a bit more time with Josie and Wyatt as a couple—I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them yet. And while the book is marketed as enemies to lovers, that’s a bit of a stretch. Wyatt’s feelings for Josie were obvious from the start. Still super cute—just a different vibe than advertised.

All in all, this was a light, heartwarming read perfect for anyone who loves a charming romance with lovable characters and plenty of heart. Highly recommend!

I got the audiobook from Netgalley, and I'm so happy I did!

This book was everything I needed when I listened to it. It's perfect for summer, it has a brooding hockey player who's out with an injury, it's about characters with pasts that hurt them, and it contains all the swoon that I need in a no spice romance book! It kept me smiling, laughing, and listening intently the whole way through the book.

The narrators were great in this book, especially the MMC.

Kissing only
No language (that I noticed or remember)
Mention of past assault and a toxic parent relationship

A big thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Emma St. Clair for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

I thought I didn't like the romantic comedy genre anymore, but this was the cutest book. If you like no spice, it's squeaky clean. However, the tender romantic moments and
sweet kisses are definitely present.

Grumpy sunshine + brother's best = must read.

Overall: 4
Spice: 1 - kissing only
Narration: 3

Josie is a school nurse on summer vacation and looking forward to an annual trip with her brother Jacob. But when she arrives at the address Jacob gave her, he is no where to be found, but his best friend grumpy, reclusive Wyatt is the resident of the murder cottage she finds. Josie and Wyatt have been avoiding one another for years, so Jacob's request for Josie to stay and take care of Wyatt while he recovers from an injury is a tall ask. As they bond over a found dog and a sailing trip, can they get past their prior animosity?

A hockey romance that takes place on a sailboat. My second book of Emma St. Clair's, this provided the same great story, characters and setting of the first. I loved Josie's dedication to learning about sailing and sharing that knowledge with the reader. Wyatt is longing through this one and Josie is the only one who doesn't recognize it. A fun, sweet read with kissing scenes only. Andi Arndt was perfect in this as usual as narrator, but I felt the male narrator sounded a bit to old for the part.

I love a good sailing adventure romance and had high hopes for this one (such a cute cover!!) but unfortunately I think it missed its mark. The characters fell flat, the pacing was off (the boat part didn't begin until 2/3 through the book), and the chemistry just wasn't there for me. The ending was cute, albeit cheesy.

My Ratings:
🧍🏽‍♀️ 2/5 Characters
🌶️ 0/5 Spice
🎬 2/5 Ending
🧩 2/5 Plot
💫 2/5 Overall

Thank you to the publisher for an advance listening copy!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

A cute banter filled romance! I agree with a few reviews to say this is advertised as an enemies to lovers but they weren’t fully enemies in the first place? So it was easier for the love part to develop and not as tension-filled as a true enemies to lovers could be. Also kinda slow pacing and then a rushed ending with admitting feelings but cute story overall! 3.5/5

This was a good story. I listened on audiobook, and the only problem I had was i had to keep turning up the male narrators parts. Both were fine, but his voice was just a little too low and I couldn't understand what he was saying without turning it up. I enjoyed the story and loved the tie in with the Appies books (also by Emma st. Clare and Jenny Proctor). I stayed up late finishing this book. The lack of sleep tomorrow will be worth it!

Josie thinks she’s off to a siblings vacation with her brother, Jacob, but when she arrived she finds a rundown shack and her injured brother’s best friend, Wyatt. Josie and Wyatt have never gotten along, but when Jacob hires her to help Wyatt recover from his injuries she might just have to put her dislike for him aside. As Josie takes care of Wyatt she starts to see that she may have judged him wrong from the beginning. Will they turn from enemies to friends and possibly something more?

I love brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers and hockey romances and this one checked all those boxes. I was pulled in from the beginning and didn’t want to put this book down as I fell in love with Josie and Wyatt. This was a great, feel good, sweet romance that was full of slow burn. I loved the characters and seeing how they changed and opened up throughout the story. This was a good romance read that hit all of my favorite tropes and entertained me from start to finish.

This was so fun to listen to! The narrators really bought the story to life. I am a big fan of duel POV and this did not disappoint. I have never read a book that involved sailing but I really enjoyed it and honestly think I learned a thing or two. I really enjoyed the set up and the plot. This book also had some deep themes including grief and complicated family dynamics. Then the romance; I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time, Rookie (iykyk.) I highly recommend picking this up, it’s enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, he falls first, age gap, and miscommunication all wrapped into one and it’s hockey player with an injury and a elementary school nurse.

This one was really fun- there is a little Appies cameo as Wyatt used to be an Appie so if you are looking for a little more in that series this is just for you!

Wyatt has had a thing for his best friend’s little sister since the first met, Josie has a thing against big athletes and unfortunately for Wyatt he is just that- he plays hockey in the NFL.

Fast forward to an injury that makes Wyatt have to cut his season short and a case of situational depression after the loss of a loved one and Josie’s big brother decides he needs to intervene and tricks Josie (who is a nurse) into going and helping Wyatt recover from his injury.

This one had all the feels, plenty of lol moments but it was also full of lots of heart to heart talks and dealing with grief and also some anxiety related to some trauma for Josie. So take care if those are triggering for you.

I would definitely recommend this one and I’m hoping Josie’s brother Jacob gets his own story after this!

Emma St. Clair's If All Else Sails is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance that takes school nurse Josie and her brother's best friend, grumpy hockey player Wyatt Jacobs, on a summer adventure far from smooth sailing. What Josie expects to be her "Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza" turns into a reluctant cohabitation at a "run-down cottage" on Virginia's Northern Neck—with Wyatt, her sworn enemy.

Her sports agent brother has orchestrated this bizarre arrangement: Josie is to help Wyatt recover from an injury. Bandaging skinned knees is one thing, but physical therapy for a surly hockey player is a whole new challenge. Yet, the price her brother offers is enough to tempt her, even if it means sharing what she lovingly dubs the "quaint little murder cottage" with Wyatt.

Begrudgingly, Josie begins to see beyond Wyatt's grumpy exterior. When she learns he was meant to sail the Intracoastal Waterway to Savannah to scatter his uncle's ashes, Josie, to her own surprise, offers to be his first mate. Their journey is anything but smooth, filled with cramped quarters, canned food, and constant bickering, leaving Josie to wonder if they'll make it home without killing—or kissing—each other. As she peels back Wyatt's layers, Josie realizes she's misunderstood not only him and their shared history, but perhaps herself as well. This charming read promises a journey of self-discovery and unexpected romance on the high seas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for this ARC. This book is a true beach read to me. It’s lighthearted, comforting, and sweet. Josie (FMC) thinks she’s going on a vacation with her brother and ends up taking care of her brother’s best friend, a grumpy, injured hockey player. We get a couple of chapters from Wyatt’s POV and I think it’s the perfect amount. I loved seeing the healing journey both Josie and Wyatt go through. I laughed throughout this book. It had some of my favorite tropes like forced proximity and brother’s best friend. She’s caring and funny I would say this is more of a grumpy/sunshine romance than enemies to lovers. One of my favorite things is that there is no third act breakup!!!!! That’s my biggest problem with contemporary romance so it was beyond refreshing to not have to go through it. It should be noted that this is a clean romance novel. My only problem with the book is that we don’t get to see Wyatt and Josie’s relationship develop once they’re committed to each other but sometimes that just happens in a slow burn. Overall I would give this 3.75 ⭐️ and would love to read more from this author!

What a cute summer romance about an injured pro hockey player and his best friend’s sister. If all else sails by Emma St Clair is a cute romcom and I really enjoyed it. It was really cute and sweet. It is definitely a slow burn with enemies to lovers, grumpy and sunshine, and forced proximity. Some of my favorite tropes. The ending did feel a little rushed but was fun summer read and would be perfect for a day at the beach.

Thank you @netgalley for the chance to listen to this audiobook Narrated by Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller

This book was a perfect slice of heaven. I love St. Clair’s writing. I’ve read many of her books so there was no doubt I’d love this one too.

Wyatt and Josie are so well done. Wyatt is a lovable grump and Josie is exactly what he needs. Jacob (Josie’s brother) schemes for Josie to meet him for a sibling outing, but what actually happens is the the perfect plan to get her to Wyatt and I loved all the events that take place to get the two together.

As always with St. Clair’s books there is humor and heart. The well-written side characters come in with full force and leave lasting impressions - Wyatt’s mom and Wanda to name a couple. There are surprise visits from characters I was more than thrilled to see.

I loved how Wyatt and Josie worked together on the boat and the ending revelations from one character pulled at my heart strings. The sailing was a fun addition. Their banter was so enjoyable and their chemistry was perfectly done.

The audio narrators were perfect for this story. Andi Arndt and Patrick Zeller do an excellent job with these characters. Their tone and expression added so much to already excellent story.

Thank you to the publisher for the NetGalley approval for the ebook and the audio. All views are my own.

Absolutely could not get enough of this book.
Always up for an enemy to lovers read and this did not disappoint. Cute animal fun also included and sentimental family issues. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc.

"Should I hope, or should I nope?" You absolutely should hope, and give this book a read! I stayed up way into the morning hours to finish this one.

I love Emma St. Clair novels, especially when they're the grumpy / sunshine trope AND forced proximity. The inner monologue of Josie had me cracking up from Chapter 1 with things like "murder cottage" and "Or maybe it's not an irritable bowel thing, but just a personality one. Not IBS, but IPS - Irritable Personality Syndrome." The references to The Office and Hunger Games were also a delightful touch, since I do the Katniss salute at least once a week at work.

Wyatt was adorable, and it was impossible not to root for the guy. The antics of his friends really lended to the story - but, when there's a supportive male friend group in a rom com, whats not to love?

The narrators were great. Andi Arndt did a fantastic job, and Patrick Zeller was giving me Patrick Warburton vibes and made it more fun.

Thank you to Zondervan, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an Audio ARC of this book!

You know what they say about assumptions… that if you make them, you end up with this book. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but I feel like it’s important to be upfront about the miscommunication trope because it’s such a hot button topic. But the characters are aware of their “foot in mouth” disease, so at least there’s that.

We love a grumpy hockey star, don’t we? And Wyatt is every bit the trope as you’d expect. Mix that in with forced proximity and sibling taboo, and we’ve got ourselves a winner! But this leading man gets better the further we get into the book. As Josie says, getting to know Wyatt is like unwrapping a present and finding another one to unwrap within it, meeting the different parts of him is a pleasant surprise.

The unexpected soft underbelly of this romance lies in Wyatt’s love for sailing, the relationship he had with his uncle, and how excitedly he shares this passion with Josie. She has always held an unflattering view of the grump with a hard exterior, but this little piece of Wyatt is all it takes for her to truly see him. If you didn’t have any interest in sailing, you might after this intro.

I love that everyone we meet throughout the book can so clearly see a connection between Josie and Wyatt. Or rather, at least see that Wyatt is so clearly gone for her. But it’s the slow dismantling of her blinders that’ll trigger the butterflies in your belly.

I had the fortune of listening to this audiobook and the narrators knocked it out of the park!